Examining the Validity of Traditional Risky Flight Behavioral Measures Across a Variety of Risky Flying Activities

Predicting pilots’ willingness to engage in a variety of risky activities has implications for the selection and training of pilots (Drinkwater & Molesworth, 2010). In addition to traditional predictors of safety such as flight experience and age, a variety of measures have been employed that examine pilots’ attitudes and risk perceptions (Hunter, 2002). However, in order to test their predictive validity, they are often paired with a single behavioral measure, nominally a simulated flight with a stable level of risk, potentially limiting their ability to predict pilots’ risk management behavior accurately. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to examine the stability of these predictors across a variety of risky flying activities. The results revealed risk perception to be the only reliable predictor of pilots’ risk management behavior, suggesting that the traditional measures of risky flight behavior may require revision to ensure their efficacy